A missed penalty from Khaled Mouelhi saw Tunisia exit the 2013
African Cup of Nations after they drew 1-1 with Togo in their final
Group D game at Mbombela Stadium on Thursday night.
The first 45 minutes saw Togo start the better of the two sides as
they used the width of the pitch to their advantage and attacked down
the flanks.
Togo, consequently, created their first chance on goal in the seventh minute when Gakpe attacked down the left and supplied an inch perfect pass for Floyd Ayite, but he fired wide from six-yards out.
Three minutes later and Togo were on the attack again, this time down the right. But again the ball into the box was wasted as Emmanuel Adebayor fired over from 14-yards.
Finally, in 13th minute Togo were able to make their pressure pay off when Gakpe gave them the lead.
Adebayor supplied the through ball for Gakpe who produced a clinical finish from just inside the box, 1-0.
In the 21st minute Adebayor should have double Togo's lead when he met a right wing cross, but he shot wide from ten-yards out under no pressure.
Slowly Tunisia found their footing in the match, but were lucky to get back in the game when the referee awarded a soft penalty in the 29th minute.
The referee, harshly, pointed to the spot when he adjudged Nibombe to have pushed Hichri at a corner-kick.
Khaled Mouelhi stepped up and coolly slotted the penalty to restore parity at 1-1 going into the break.
The second 45 saw Tunisia pressing forward in search of the goal that would send them into the quarters, but their passing in the final third let them down.
Instead, it was at the other end where the clearest chance of the half came in the 70th minute.
Adebayor showed his aerial strength as he rose above his marker to head a left wing cross onto the woodwork.
Nonetheless, Tunisia continued to press forward and won a second soft penalty in the 76th minute, after the referee adjudged Nibombe to have pulled down a Tunisia attacker inside the box.
But unlike his first conversion, Mouelhi struck the right-hand post with the spot-kick.
In the end that missed penalty cost his side a place in the quarterfinals as the game ended 1-1, and Togo progressed into the knockout stages of AFCON 2013.
Togo, consequently, created their first chance on goal in the seventh minute when Gakpe attacked down the left and supplied an inch perfect pass for Floyd Ayite, but he fired wide from six-yards out.
Three minutes later and Togo were on the attack again, this time down the right. But again the ball into the box was wasted as Emmanuel Adebayor fired over from 14-yards.
Finally, in 13th minute Togo were able to make their pressure pay off when Gakpe gave them the lead.
Adebayor supplied the through ball for Gakpe who produced a clinical finish from just inside the box, 1-0.
In the 21st minute Adebayor should have double Togo's lead when he met a right wing cross, but he shot wide from ten-yards out under no pressure.
Slowly Tunisia found their footing in the match, but were lucky to get back in the game when the referee awarded a soft penalty in the 29th minute.
The referee, harshly, pointed to the spot when he adjudged Nibombe to have pushed Hichri at a corner-kick.
Khaled Mouelhi stepped up and coolly slotted the penalty to restore parity at 1-1 going into the break.
The second 45 saw Tunisia pressing forward in search of the goal that would send them into the quarters, but their passing in the final third let them down.
Instead, it was at the other end where the clearest chance of the half came in the 70th minute.
Adebayor showed his aerial strength as he rose above his marker to head a left wing cross onto the woodwork.
Nonetheless, Tunisia continued to press forward and won a second soft penalty in the 76th minute, after the referee adjudged Nibombe to have pulled down a Tunisia attacker inside the box.
But unlike his first conversion, Mouelhi struck the right-hand post with the spot-kick.
In the end that missed penalty cost his side a place in the quarterfinals as the game ended 1-1, and Togo progressed into the knockout stages of AFCON 2013.
source: mtnfootball.com
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